Quilting machines



Nov. 24, 1964 F. E. KALNING 3,158,116

QUILTING MACHINES Filed July 11. 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 24, 1964 F. E. KALNING 3,158,116

QUILTING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 92 f I M //a M y L 3/ 94 90 Mi g f2 7% if United States Patent O The present invention relates to improvements in quilting machines, and more particularly to improvements in the devices for supporting and positioning the quilting panel for stitching in accordance with a pattern.

The invention is herein disclosed as embodied in a quiltin machine of the general type having a quilting table adapted to receive a panel stretcher frame, and a support on which the table is mounted, said table and support being adapted for movement in diverse directions with relation to a stitcher which is rigidly mounted on a cross arm above the quilting table. The table and support are moved in diverse directions with relation to the stitching mechanism in accordance with the dictation of a pattern or templet which is mounted from the table in a horizontal position a substantial distance below the quilting stretcher frame, and is arranged to cooperate with a relatively stationary depending tracking head fixedly mounted in the machine beneath the sewing point and above the templet. The tracking head operates through electrical connections to control the relative positions or" the quilting table, the quilting table support and stitcher to form lines of stitching in a quilting panel mounted on the quilting table in accordance with a pattern.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the clamping devices for the quilting panel which will permit an automatic adjustment of the position of the quilting panel in the panel stretcher frame to compensate for contraction during the stitching process and at the same time to cause the stitching at the beginning and end of the stitching pattern to be brought accurately into alignment.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved spring loaded clamping device the jaws of which are provided with offset cramping and gripping surfaces which are well adapted for holding the edge of the quilting panel against slippage under any tension which would normally be applied thereto.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sin ple and efiective means adapted to cooperate with the tracking head to hold the table assembly in a fixed templet changing position in which the tracking head is removed from engagement with the templet.

With these and other objects in view as may hereinafter appear a feature of the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the clamping devices by means of which the quilting panel is held in the quilting stretcher frame. In accordance with a known construction, the quilting panel to be stitched is held tautly in position by means of a series of clamps mounted at spaced intervals along the side and end rails forming the stretcher frame. The insertion of successive lines or" stitching in accordance with the pattern causes the quilting panel to shrink substantially in area to an extent which will depend upon such factors as the complexity of he pattern, and

the quality of the material used. This shrinkage in areais accompanied by a corresponding slippage of the edge portions of the quilting panel through the jaws of the several clamps.

In the construction of a pattern the stitcher may be ice . tion which normally takes place during the stitching and consequent displacement of the edge portions of the quilting panel, the line of stitching at the end of the operation may be a substantial distance to one side of the starting position producing a very noticeable fault in the pattern. in the illustrated construction the clamping devices spaced about the panel stitching frame are so adjusted as to per mit the required slippage to take place as the panel is contracted by the insertion of the lines of stitching. In accordance with the present invention, at a predetermined point along the edge of the frame which is most closely adjacent to the starting and stopping position of the stitcher, there is provided one or more special clamps which are especially constructed and arranged to prevent such slippage .oi' the material from taking place. With this construction the portion of the quilting panel acted upon by the stitcher at the beginning and at the end of the operation is held rigidly in one position, thus causing the two lines of stitching to coincide.

Another feature of the invention consists in the specific construction and arrangement oi the special clamp or clamps referred to which may be in all respects similar to the remaining spring loaded clamps spaced about the edge of the frame except that one jaw of said special clamp or clamps is provided with an offset projection which causes the material engaged thereby to be bent and cramped between said projection and the receding portion of the cooperating jaw of the clamp.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a holder or socket at one end of the table support which is arranged when. the table assembly and templet therewtih are moved from under the tracking head, as for example to facilitate the substitution of a new templet, to engage the tracking element of the tracking head and thereby to securely lock the table assembly in the desired templet changing position.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view partly in section of the quilting machine at the starting position;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view with parts broken away to show a portion of the templet and its supporting frame;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic View in side elevation similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the table assembly at the limit of its movement to the right in the templet removing position;

FIGURE 3:: is an enlarged detail view partly in section of the tracking head including the drive mechanism therein, tracking cog wheel, and the cog track engaged thereby;

FIGURE 4 is a detail plan view of the quilting panel illustrating particularly the disposition of the clamps thereon;

FIGURE 5 is a detailview on an enlarged scale taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 illustrating one of the regular clamps, the jaws being shown in the, open position;

FlGURE 6 is a plan View of the clamps shown in FIG- URE 5 with parts broken away to show the control rock shafit and eccentric;

FIGURE 7 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on line 77 of FIGURE 4 to illustrate particularly the nonyielding clamp, but with the parts shown in the clamping position;

FIGURE 8 is a detail perspective view of the offset projection attached to the upper jaw of the clamp-shown in FIGURE 7 for cramping the material securely against the lower jaw; and

FIGURE 9 is a detail view taken on a line 9@ of FIGURE 4 to illustrate particularly the mechanism for imparting a lateral stretch to the side portions of the frame and to the quilting panel clamps supported thereon.

The quilting machine shown in the drawings comprises generally a base on which is mounted a panel stretcher frame support assembly including a quilting table 22 having longitudinally extending ways 24-, 26 spaced to receive a panel stretcher frame 28. The ways 24, 26 are spaced apart the full width of the frame so that they engage respectively the two side members 29 and 3% thereof. The frame 28 is rectangular in shape being formed of said side rails 29, 3t) and end pieces 32, 34 which are divided as hereinafter set forth to provide for a lateral tightening of a quilting panel mounted by means of clamps 36 on the frame 28.

The quilting table 22 is mounted on wheels 49 which side on a longitudinal track 42 on a saddle support 44 which is mounted for transverse movement on wheels 46 which ride on tracks 48 secured to the machine base 20. The quilting table 22 is thus supported for movement in diverse directions with relation to a sewing machine 50 carried on a cross arm 52 above the table.

The quilting table is moved in diverse directions with relation to the sewing machine 50 in accordance with a pattern which will produce the desired lines of ditching in the quilting panel by means of a follower propulsion unit or tracking head 51 comprising a motor 54 mounted on a cross arm 53 supported parallel to the cross arm 52 beneath the quilting panel in the machine. A follower element which consists of a cog wheel 41 engages a cog track 45 on a templet 57 suspended from the table 22 a substantial distance below the plane of the quilting panel mounted on the table for stitching. As best shown in FIG. 3a, the tracking unit motor 54 is connected through a vertical shaft 37, a worm 38, worm gear 39 and suitable gear connections to drive the follower cog wheel 41 which engages with cogs 43 formed on the cog track 45. Flanges formed on each side of thecog wheel maintain the cog wheel in engagement with the track 45. The tracking head 51 is normally maintained in an extended downward position by means of a coiled compression spring 49. The tracking head is freely rotatable so that the flanged cog wheel 41 will follow the curves of the pattern defined by the cog track 45, and thereby drive the templet 57 and table 22 in directions determined by the contours of the pattern formed by the cog track on the templet 57. The cog track is so disposed as to provide the desired pattern for the stitching in the quilting panel. Since the pattern mechanism above described including the templet and tracking head'form per se no part of the present invention, it is believed unnecessary to illusttrate or to describe the operation of this mechanism in greater detail.

Referring to FIGURE 4 the panel stretcher frame 28 has mounted thereon a series of the clamps 36 above referred to which are spaced along both sides and across the ends of the frame. Along one side of the frame the clamps 36 are mounted on an adjustable bar 55 which may be positioned outwardly as shown in FIGURE 4 to accommodate a double bed width quilting panel, or in an alternate inward position to accommodate a single bed width quilting panel. The bar is supported at its two ends in each of said positions by means of upwardly extending screw threaded pins 56 mounted on the frame 28 and adapted to pass through apertures in the corresponding end of the bar 55. Wing nuts 58 threaded to the upper ends of pins 56 serve to lock the bar 54 in place. With this arrangement it willbe noted that the same panel stretcher frame is employed for the stitching of both wide and narrow quilting panels, and is therefore adapted to be supported and controlled on the transfer table and on the quilting machine always in the same manner.

sense With the construction shown the principal effect of the adjustment to a narrower size is that a portion only of the frame is used.

In the illustrated construction a corresponding adjustquilting table occupying the position indicated in FIG- I URES 1 and 2.

Provision is made for stretching the quilting panel laterally after it has been fastened in place in the clamps 36 of the panel stretcher frame 28. To this end each of the end members 32, 34 is made up of two relatively movable members. (See FIGURES 4 and 9.) The end member 32 is provided with an extension 69, which is connected to move lengthwise with relation thereto by means of a slide rod 62, and two blocks 64, 66 sleeved thereon and secured respectively to the member 32 and extension 5t The frame and members 32, are forced apart in order to provide the desired stretch by means of a toggle comprising a toggle link 68 pivoted on the block 66, and a connecting toggle link 70 pivoted on the block M. A manually operable lever 72 forming part of the link 75: provides a means by which the toggle is moved to the straightened position. An identical arrangement is provided at the opposite end of the panel stretcher frame 23 the member 34- having a separate extension member '76 in alignment therewith, said members being held in aligned position by means of blocks 78, and a slide rod 82. A toggle generally indicated at 84 is connected between the two members for moving them to the relatively separated position. Inasmuch as the toggle 84 is identical with the toggle 68, 72 illustrated on an enlarged scale in FIG. 9, further illustration and description thereof is omitted.

The clamps employed are identical in construction. One such clamp is shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, consisting of a lower jaw t which is rigidly secured to the supporting side or end rail of the panel stretcher frame, and a movable upper jaw 92.. The two jaws have wide gripping surfaces 94, 96 which are curved toward one another providing a nip to secure a firm grip on the relatively soft mass of the panel which may comprise a soft filler such as cotton or horse hair and top and bottom covers of a tough woven material. The upper jaw 92 is pivotally connected at its rear end to a spring pressed plunger 98 carried in a socket 100 in the lower jaw member 94), and having the upward movement thereof limited by a locking pin 162. The jaw 92 is supported intermediate its length by meansof a link 1M connected with an eccentric lilo mounted on a rock shaft 168 which extends along the length of the side rail 29 along which several clamps are mounted, and which operates said clamps as a unit. The clamps 36 provided along the side rail 30 are controlled as a unit by a similar rock shaft 109. As best shown in FIGURE 4 each of the clamps mounted on the end rail pieces 32, 34 is controlled by means of a separate short rocker shaft 110, identical except for its shorter length with the rock shaft 108, on which is mounted an eccentric 106 as above described. Each of the side rail supported rocker shafts 108, 109 is provided at one end with a hand lever 112 which may be actuated to cause the clamps along that side to simultaneously grip the quilting panel. Each of the short rocker shafts is similarly provided with a hand lever 114 independently operating the individual end clamps. As clearly indicated in the drawing, the rocking of any one of shafts 1&8, 109 or 11% acting through eccentrics 106 and links 104 will cause the associated clamps to be moved downwardly against the work and at the same time cause the clamps to be spring loaded against the pressure provided by the spring pressed plungers 98.

The spring loaded clamping devices above described are adjusted to permit slippage at the location of each individual clamp in the event that the pull at that location exceeds about l5 to 18 pounds. Since each line of stitching by pulling together the outerlayers of the panel will reduce the width of the panel by approximately /8", it will be appreciated that a pattern calling by way of example, for twelve roughly parallel lines of stitching will reduce the total Width of the panel by 1 /2. The slippage referred to will normally take place fairly evenly around the peripheral edge of the panel stretcher frame.

The stitching operation upon a newly inserted quilting panel in accordance with the dictation of the pattern will start at approximately point A, see FIGURE 2 and will proceed to the left as the tracking head guides the line of stitching along the near side of the panel. The paths followed by the lines of stitching will correspond exactly with the convolutions of the cog track in accordance with the pattern marked out on the templet until the stitching mechanism controlled by the tracking head arrives again at the near right hand corner of the quilting panel and returns to point A.

In accordance with the present invention, in order to insure that the line of stitching at the end of the operation coincides as exactly as possible with the line of stitching made at the beginning of the operation a clamp 116 is provided at this lower right hand corner which is especially constructed to prevent any possible slippage of the material from said clamp 11h. Whatever contraction of the panel may occur during the stitching of the pattern will be compensated for by the giving up of material at the location of other clamps about the periphery of the panel stretcher frame. The clamp 116 is similar to each of the clamps above described in that it includes a lower jaw 90, an upper jaw 92 connected by a link 104 and cocentric 106 with the lower jaw 91). The clamp is spring loaded by means of a spring pressedplunger 98. The eccentric 1636 is fixedly mounted on the rock shaft 168, so that this clamp will .be operated simultaneously with the associated clamps along the uearside of the frame.

Clamp 116 is distinguished from the remaining clamps in that the upper jaw 92 has formed on the inner face of the clamp edge a cramping device in the form of a downwardly and rearwardly extending cramping element or projection 118 which is adapted to engage with and clamp the quilting panel downwardly against the curved inner edge of the lower jaw as the upper jaw Q2 is moved downwardly to its clamping position against the lower jaw 90. With this arrangement of the clamping jaws it has been found that a substantially positive panel cramping non-slippage nip or grip is obtained against the edge of the panel which effectively prevents this portion of the quilting panel from being pulled out as the panel contracts during the continued stitching operation.

Further in accordance with the invention a simple and effective locking device is providedfor holding the table assembly in a fixed templet changing position to which it is moved whenever it is desired to introduce or to remove the templet from its operating position with relation to the quilting table 22. For the insertion of and removal of the templet from the machine the quilting table 22 is first moved to an extreme position to the right in which the tracking head 51 is removed from contact with the templet then mountedin the machine, and is then secured in this templet changing position by the engagement of the follower disk of the tracking head 51 with a holder 126 mounted at the left side of the depending frame which supports the templet S7. The holder 120 comprises a short length of channel iron which has upwardly turned side walls and is tilted to provide a downwardly inclined track for the follower from the level of the templet 57. The table 22 is moved manually to said posiand back movement by the downward pressure of the spring pressed tracking head movement 51 and cog wheel 41 against the downwardly inclined holder 120.

The invention having been described what is claimed is:

1. For use in a panel stretcher frame for holding a quilting panel in a stretched out condition for the insertion of lines of stitching starting from and returning to a single starting and return position adjacent the periphery of said frame, a series of quilting panel gripping clamps mounted at spaced intervals about the periphery of said frame, each said clamp comprising a pair of jaws, and a biasing means engaging said jaws providing a yieldable nip adjusted to permit a limited slippage of the panel in said jaws corresponding in extent to the shrinkage of the stretched quilted panel, and said series of clamps including a clamp about said periphery adjacent said starting and return position having a panel cramping device operable when the jaws of said latter clamp are engaged to provide a substantially positive non-slippage panel cramping nip of said latter clamp with the panel, and thereby to provide a fixed position of the portion of said panel receiving said starting and return stitches.

2. For use in a panel stretcher frame for holding a quilting panel for the insertion of lines of stitching from and returning to a single starting and return position adjacent the periphery of said frame, a series of quilting panel gripping clamps mounted at spaced intervals about the periphery of said frame, each said clamp comprising a pair of jaws having wide smooth-faced gripping surfaces, and a biasing means engaging said jaws to provide an elongated nip of a strength gaged to permit a limited slippage corresponding in extent to the shrinkage of the stretched quilted panel about the periphery of the frame, said series of clamps including a clamp about said periphery adjacent said starting and return position similarly having a pair of wide smooth-faced jaws, and biasing means engaging said jaws, and a cramping element attached to one said jaw operable when said jaws are closed to cramp a portion of said panel with relation to the other said jaw, and thereby to provide a substantially positive panel cramping non-slippage nip of said latter clamp with the panel.

3. For use in a panel stretcher frame for holding a quilting panel for the insertion of lines of stitching from and returning to a single starting and return position adjacent the periphery of said frame, groups of quilting panel gripping clamps mounted at spaced intervals along the several sides of said frame, each said clamp comprising a pair of inwardly converging jaws having wide smooth-faced gripping surfaces, one of said jaws being supported on said frame, a link and an eccentric actuator connected with the other said jaw intermediate its length, and spring means connected between and biasing said jaws to close and providing a yieldable nip of a strength to permit a limited slippage only of said clamp, and a rock shaft operatively connected with each eccentric actuator of a said group of said clamps for simultaneously engaging the jaws of said clamps, one clamp of said group adjacent said starting position having a cramping element attached to one jaw of said one clamp operable when said jaws are engaged to cramp a portion of said jaws to provide a substantially non-slipping nip of said clamp whereby a clamp engaging actuation of said actuator shaft is operative to engage the jaws of said group of clamps at said spring pressure to permit slippage corresponding to the shrinkage of the quilted panel, and to provide a substantially positive non-slippage nip of said one clamp including said cramping element with the panel, and thereby a fixed position of that portion of the panel requiring said starting and return stitches.

4. For use in a panel stretcher frame, a clamp providing a non-slip nip with a panel stretched therein which comprises a pair of relatively hinged jaws having inwardly converging wide smooth-faced gripping surfaces oppositely disposed and providing a nip for gripping a quilt panel therebetween, actuating means including a biasing spring acting to relatively close said jaws, a cramping element attached to the converging portion of one of said jaws having a wide smooth-faced panel engaging surface olfset from and arranged when said jaws are closed to project closely adjacent and beyond the nip with the other of said smooth-faced jaws for cramping a portion of said panel adjacent said nip with relation to the other of said jaws providing thereby a substantially positive nonslippage nip of said clamp with the panel.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Koch July 28, Schnauder Sept. 10, Cash Apr. 14, Williams Aug. 1, Thomas Aug. 21, Taylor Ian. 8, Boettcher Mar. 25, Carpentier Mar. 16, Kramer et al. Sept. 9, Schwarzberger July 17, Schwarzberger July 31, Kalning Dec. 25,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 22, 

1. FOR USE IN A PANEL STRETCHER FRAME FOR HOLDING A QUILTING PANEL IN A STRETCHED OUT CONDITION FOR THE INSERTION OF LINES OF STITCHING STARTING FROM AND RETURNING TO A SINGLE STARTING AND RETURN POSITION ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FRAME, A SERIES OF QUILTING PANEL GRIPPING CLAMPS MOUNTED AT SPACED INTERVALS ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FRAME, EACH SAID CLAMP COMPRISING A PAIR OF JAWS, AND A BIASING MEANS ENGAGING SAID JAWS PROVIDING A YIELDABLE NIP ADJUSTED TO PERMIT A LIMITED SLIPPAGE OF THE PANEL IN SAID JAWS CORRESPONDING IN EXTENT TO THE SHRINKAGE OF THE STRETCHED QUILTED PANEL, AND SAID SERIES OF CLAMPS INCLUDING A CLAMP ABOUT SAID PERIPHERY ADJACENT SAID STARTING AND RETURN POSITION HAVING A PANEL CRAMPING DEVICE OPERABLE WHEN THE JAWS OF SAID LATTER CLAMP ARE ENGAGED TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY POSITIVE NON-SLIPPAGE PANEL CRAMPING NIP OF SAID LATTER CLAMP WITH THE PANEL, AND THEREBY TO PROVIDE A FIXED POSITION OF THE PORTION OF SAID PANEL RECEIVING SAID STARTING AND RETURN STITCHES. 